Address: 3426 Junction Avenue, Detroit

Status: Still Standing

Description:  The West Side Dom Polski served as a social and cultural hub for Detroit’s west side Polish neighborhood from its construction down to the 1960s.  Built in two stages, in 1916-17 and 1925, the building was designed by one of Detroit’s Poland-born architects, Joseph D. Gwizdowski, who is best known in Detroit for his buildings for Polish churches and cultural institutions. 

The West Side Detroit Polish American Historical Society was responsible for obtaining a listing for the West Side Dom Polski in the National Register of Historic Places on September 15, 2006.

http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/MI/Wayne/state7.html

Address:  3401 Twenty-Third Street, Detroit

Status:  Parish Closed, Building pictured above, demolished

Description:  Forthcoming

Address:  4500 Wesson, Detroit

Status:  Parish Open, Building Still Standing

Description:  In February 1889,  a total of twelve lots were purchased; six on Wesson Street at Buchanan and six on Campbell Street at Buchanan.  The first structure on the site was built in 1890 and was a  combination school, social hall and church.  The building was located at the corner of Campbell and Buchanan Streets.  This structure cost the parish $35,000 to build and had enough pews to seat 700 people.   The first pastor was Fr. Romuald Byzewski who came from St. Casimir.  St. Francis became the fifth Polish Parish in Detroit, the second on the West Side.  As the parish grew, the original building was not large enough to house the school and the growing congregation. As a result, a decision was made decided to construct a larger worship space.

In 1903, construction began and the corner stone was blessed on the present day Renaissance style church which is located at the corner of Wesson and Buchanan.  The structure was designed by Detroit Architects  Kastler and Hunter; the cost was approximately $150,000 and was built to seat around 1,700 people.  The new church was completed and dedicated on June 4, 1905 by Bishop John Foley. Ten thousand people came to witness the dedication of the new church.  On June 4, 1928, St. Francis d’ Assisi Church was Consecrated by Bishop Michael J. Gallagher.  St. Francis was one of only three churches at the time in the Diocese of Detroit to be consecrated and was only the fifth church in the nation to be consecrated.

Originally, the School was staffed by the Sisters of St. Francis of Milwaukee.  By 1901 a group of Polish girls within the community received permission from the bishop to become what is know known as the Sisters of St. Joseph.  In 1914, the Original multi-purpose building was demolished to make room for a new school and a convent.  Both buildings were completed by 1917, which is when the Sisters changed their headpiece and attire to reflect their new community.  They resided and taught at St. Francis until 1987.

Added:  December 10, 2009

Address:  4381, 4391 Larkins Street, Detroit

Status:  Active

Description:  Forthcoming

Added:  February 9, 2010

Address:  3500 Gilbert, Detroit

Status:  Active, Business Open

History/Description:  The Abick’s building was constructed in approximately 1908 by John Benske, Manya Abick Soviak’s godfather and uncle.  Manya and her brother, Walter Abick, are the current owners.

Manya was born on October 4, 1923, and Walter was born on February 1, 1921.  Their parents were George and Katarina (Kathryn) Urda Abick.  Kathryn was born on February 18, 1900.  George was an immigrant from Prague, and Kathryn was from Austria, Wierschowna-mala.  Manya and Walter’s uncle, Joseph (George’s brother), emigrated in about 1910, and George and Kathryn came right after that, in around 1913 or 1914.  Joseph lived on Gilbert Street and the 1929 City Directory lists George as living at 3500 Gilbert, the address of the bar.  The 1910 U.S. Census in Detroit lists Austrian Poland (Galicia) as the place of origin.*

John Benske’s wife was Kathryn’s first cousin.  All the relatives were very close, according to Manya.  George came to work in the bar.

Joe Abick lived only a half block away, according to Manya, and then he moved to Hamtramck and opened a little grocery store on Playfair Street.  John Benske built and owned the house next door to the bar and lived there.  He also built the house next to it and the one next to that.  The addresses are 3490 and 3484.  He rented the houses out.

John and Walter were very involved in politics.  They both ran for office but eventually got jobs in the courts as court officers.

George Abick died in 1935 at age 49, and Kathryn raised her four children, Manya and her three brothers.  Manya started working in the bar at about age 18.  During World War II, some of the main industries in the area were Central Creamery, Federal Screw Works, Kelsey-Hayes, and Goebel’s Beer on 52^nd.  The railroad was also one of the primary industries in the area, as well as the Hammond Coal Yard and the coal yard on Military.

Abick’s had many regular patrons in those days.  There were many parties at the bar, and a band of young men in their late teens performed there.  There were never any problems in the bar, such as brawls.  Everyone had a good time at Abick’s.

When asked what people today like about Abick’s, the answers are all the same:  the atmosphere – it’s warm and friendly, like home.  Many compare it to the old TV sitcom Cheers.  Some say that Manya is like a second mom.  It’s a fun place to hang out.

Manya Abick has seen a lot of people come and go throughout the years, and she describes all of them as good people.

*Census and immigration information courtesy of Ceil Wendt Jensen, Certified Genealogist, Michigan Polonia

Added:  May 12, 2010

Address:  4130 Junction Street, Detroit

Status:  Building Demolished

History:   When they immigrated to the U.S., Polish Americans nationwide came together to form major fraternal organizations, and the Polish Falcons is one of about 14 of such organizations. The Falcons has its roots to a similar organization that began in Poland in 1867. The Falcons' lodges are called nests, and the first nest in the U.S. was established in Chicago in 1887. Its motto is "A Healthy Spirit in a Healthy Body." Its main headquarters are now in Green Tree Borough, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Along with providing physical fitness programs through educational activities, the Falcons is a fraternal benefit society that provides affordable life insurance.

The first nest in the Detroit area, Nest 31, was formed on June 13, 1892, on Chene Street between Warren and Hancock. Other nests, including Nest 79 on the west side and Nest 86 on the east side, soon followed in the Detroit area.

Nest 79 was located at 4130 Junction, north of Michigan Avenue near Buchanan. Nest 79, like other Falcons nests throughout the nation, was the key social center at which members of the Falcons met for various functions, including social, educational, cultural, physical fitness, and political functions. It was also where regular Nest meetings were held.

Some of the nests, including Nests 79 and 86, had their own orchestras. In the late 1930s, Eddie Gajec directed the Nest 79 Kapela Sokołów Polskich w Ameryce (Polish Falcons Orchestra of America), with Ted Gomulka serving as his assistant. The orchestra was organized in January 1937 under the direction of Dr. Andrzej Musial, Eddie Gajec, and others, and consisted mostly of former high school students. When money and moral support were needed for the orchestra to continue, Nest 79's board assigned Dr. Andrzej Musial to the orchestra's leadership. Under his direction, the orchestra was able to purchase colorful uniforms for its members.

The orchestra's first public appearance was in Jackson, Michigan, on July 3, 1937. They also performed on Fireman's Field Day in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and at the Festyn (Picnic) of All Slovenian Eagles on November 21, 1937, at the west side Dom Polski on Junction.

In 1937, Nest 79 consisted of thirty orchestra members. They rehearsed twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Fridays, at the Sokolnia on Junction Street, under the direction of Eddie Gajec and Ted Gomulka.

Nest 79 was the site of a historic and remarkable event in automotive history on the otherwise quiet Sunday afternoon of December 13, 1936. Plant workers at the Kelsey-Hayes Wheel Company in Detroit had staged a sit-down strike on December 11. Walter Reuther had arrived in Detroit in September of that year and had established Local 174 of the U.A.W., and he was attempting to organize and recruit workers for the Local. Reuther was organizing meetings in the primarily Polish neighborhood halls, including the west side Dom Polski at 3426 Junction Avenue, just a stone's throw from the Falcons Nest 79.*

A mass employee meeting was to be held at the Dom Polski on the afternoon of Sunday, December 13, by order of Kelsey-Hayes officials, in an attempt to stifle support for the strike and to try to regain control of its employees. However, Reuther and Local 174 called their own meeting that same morning at the Falcons Nest 79. It was reported that Reuther, along with his sidekick Frankensteen and 500 unionists, marched from the Falcons Hall over to the Dom Polski and right onto the podium, overtaking the Kelsey-Hayes officials. That day, there were perhaps thousands in the now-historic Dom Polski. By the end of the day, Local 174 found itself with hundreds of new members.*

*Source: Robert Christensen, "Significance" Section of National Register of Historic Places Form 10-900-a, April 2006

Added:  December 6, 2010